Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-04-21


this transpired while the two companies
from the writer's county were yet in citi-
zen's dress and eating the food of civil life.
Already, however, had each member taken
an oath before a justice of the peace to
support the constitution and laws of the
United States.
The little round OF routine at the county
seat-of eating, sleeping and imperfect
drill-was varied one evening by social
gathering il the body of the courthouse,
at which all the soldiers and many citizens
and ladies were present. One young lady
sang with much effect the piece then just
published, in which are the words:
= Brave boys are they, gone at their country's
call,
And yet, and yet we can not forget that many
brave boys must fall"
The song made even the more thoughtless
Of the newly-enlisted think seriously of the
new and dangerous duties upon which they
were about to enter.
AS before stated, an order had been re.
ceived directing the companies upon an
early date in September to report at lit
tie city forty miles distant.
AS the time for departure drew near
every man visited home for the last time,
and final arrangements were made for long
absence.
Then the adieus were said and all once
more came together at the county seat.
But sad and fearful were those adieus as
father, mother, brother, sister or wife took
the parting one by the hand, none knowing
how soon he would fall in wars frightful
harvest of human life.
At the appointed time friends, neighbors
and relatives came with wagons, and early
one fine September morning tho vehicles
were loaded with hearty specimens of
young manhood, and the journey over
dusty road to the railway, twenty miles
distant, was begun.
Three or four miles on the road was
hill, where the procession for some cause
halted for time.
From here the writer remembers taking
look at the courthouse and church spires
behind, thinking may be this was the last
time he would ever see them.
AT about noon the railway station was
reached and all boarded the passenger
train that sooE arrived. To many of the
younger men the experience was new as
they were never before inside a railway
cara statement that may sound strange
to the rising generation, but a quarter Of
century ago railroads were much less
common than now.
After travelling on the cars for twenty
or thirty miles the men got of and marched
seven miles across the country TO the little
city of their destination. The afternoon
was hot, the roads were dusty, and the
writer remembers suffering much discom-
fort from pair of new, tight-itting shoes
he had put on that morning for the first
time.
Indeed the discomfort amounted almost
to torture, and for this reason this trip of
seven miles proved one of the hardest
marches in the whole three years. service
Arrived at the little city, the men were
directed to the fair grounds, where, under
the sheds in the horse and cattle stalls,
they found quarters. An abundance of
bright, clean straw had been provided
upon which, with the blankets and quilts
brought from home, sleeping places were
made. The grounds were inclosed with. a
high, tight-board fence, and within were
green with thrifty grass while scattered
about were groves of shade trees. The
September weather was delightful, and the
novelty of the new way of living with its
pleasant surroundings was most enjoyable
However, there was one drawback;
meals were taken at the boar ding houses
IN the city; these were all run by Ger
mans, and the taste and fumes Of garlic
seemed 10 permeate every article Of food